Automatic stop



Nov. 15, 1932. I G. J. KATZ 1,887,596

AUTOMATIC STOP Filed June 24, 1929 gwuentot George J. Kai

A flu Patented Nov. 15, 1932 GEORGE J. KATZ, or sr. PAUn MI NNEso'ra AUTOMATIC s ror application filed are 24,

My invention relates to an automatic electrical stop for envelope machines, designed to be associated particularly with the envelope folding mechanism so that if for any reason the machine which forms the envelope shall fail to register in the folding comparte ment when the plunger operates in the plung er'type of envelope machine, a circuit will be closed and this will operate a release which releases the clutch so that it will stopjthe envelope machine immediately. v

A feature of the invention resides in the simplicity of the structure which is designed to operate to close the'circuit wheneveran envelope sheet is misplaced or torn or out of registrywith the plates which close the sldes of the same in as the plunger of the envelope machine operates to. fold the envelope.

A feature of my invention resides in providing a circuitclosing pin associated with one or more of the folding plates of the envelope machine which folds the flaps of the envelope. inward whenTt-he plunger pushes the envelope down into the folding compartment. If the envelope folds properly and passes on through the folding compartment, no contact will be made and the machine con: tinues to operate to fold the envelopes rapidly. This type of envelope folding machine operates very rapidly and as the sheet is picked up off of the pile of fiat sheets which have-been died out to the shape of the envelope and these sheets are passed over to the plunger, it islpushed down into the folding compartment bythe plunger means and the side plates fold in the endflaps of the envelope so as to fold the same down into place so that they can be stuck together to form the envelope in the formingcompartment. If

y the sheetforming the envelope is out of place or tears and clogs up the machine or is out of. reglstry, then the circuit closing plug will,

contact with the portion of the machine H which is grounded so that a circuit-is made to close the circuit to operate the catch which releases the clutch of the machine, thereby immediately stopping the same. It is import'ant in my invention to provide an elec: trical means for stopping the envelope folding machine or forming machine quicklyand folding machines.

1929. Serial No. 373,081.

at a time when the trouble occurs. Thisis usually apparent at the folding of the envelope or for lack of the folding mechanism to receive an envelope sheet to be folded or from the tearing of the sheet in the operation of the machine or when it is out of registry. Any of these causes will immediately operate OFFICE my electric stop by closing the circuit and a stop the machine almost instantaneously. These features togetherwith other details and objects of my invention will be more fully and clearly set forth in the specification and claims. I

-Figure 1 isa diagrammatic side View of a portion of an envelopefolding machine of the plunger type, showing my electric stop applied to the same.

-'-F igure' 2 is a plan view of a detail showing the parts enlarged looking down into the folding compartment rand showing v the sideplate which operates inwardly to fold the ends of the envelope inward in the operationof the envelope folding machine.

Figure 3 is an enlarged detail of a portion of the envelopefolding machine showing my circuit closing switch plug.

Figure l is a furtherdetailsimilar to Figure 3, showing the parts in a different position with'the side plate down against the bottom plate .of the folding pocket of the envelope machineQ Figure-5 is a diagrammatic view showing the wiring of my electric stop for-envelope Figure 6 is a detail'of a portion 7 envelope folding machine showing the means of operating the clutch from the front.

Figure 7 is a'plan detail'of the side of the 7 envelope folding machine showing the lever which operates the clutch of the machine associated with the operating belt and pulley.

of the In the drawing I have illustrated a portion diagrammatically of an envelope folding'ma chine of the'plunger typesuch 'as A, which shows theshaftlO which supports the lifter members 11 of the envelope folding machine.

These lifter members function to place the glue uponthe sheets 12 which are illustrated in a pile B arranged directly belowfthe lifter members 11. Theplate 13 directly above the pile B is a clearing plate which clears the sheet off of the lifter members 11.

In the operation of the lifter members, these members are operated up and down and go down against the top sheet 12 in the pile B and lift it upward so that it can be separated from therest of the sheets and then by suitable mechanism not illustrated, the sheet is carried back above the folding pocket C which is directly adjacent the lifters;

11 and the pile B.

When the sheet is positioned above the folding pocket C the plunger 14 which is carried by the shaft 15 is operated to push the sheet into the folding pocket and as the sheet passes into the folding pocket, the side or end plates'16and 17 are operated to fold the flaps of theenvelope down against the bottom 18 of the pocket C. i

Upon the side folding plate 16, I provide a switch pin 19 which is insulated from the plate 16 by the insulating medium 20 and which passes through the hole 21 in the plate 16 in a manner so that the'pin 19 will not contact with the plate 16 at anyplace to cause a short circuit. This pin 19 is of a spring nature so that when the pin strikes the bottom plate 18, it will recede into the insulating medium 20'as illustrated in Figure 4:. The pin 19 is held by thespring 22 in operative position so that it can slide back when the plate 16 is in the position illustrated in Figure 4. The pin, 19 is connected by the slidable arm 23 which is slidably supported at 42 which also insulates the arm 23 and'this arm is connected by means of the wire2tto the operating solenoid 25. I provide a suitable switch 26 in the wire 24-so that the same can be turned off when it isdesired. The solenoid is grounded on one side by the wire 26 to the frame of the machine A. It will also be noted that a suitable ground such as 27 is illustrated for the plate'18of the machine A so as to illustrate the electric circuit which is completed when the stop is operated.

The diagrammatic illustration shows a source of electric energy" such as D and obviously the circuit may be operated by any suitable source of electric energy to operate the electric stop which stops the automatic ens-velope folding machine A. In the circuits illustrated in Figure 5, I show a switch 28 connected by the lead wire 29 to aground so i that the solenoid 25 may be operated separately from the switch pin 19 to operate the solenoid 25 so as to stop the envelope folding machine A independently of the automatic electric stop as will be hereinafter described.

The envelope machine A is provided with an operating clutch E illustated in Figure 7 which is operated by the lever 30 which connects the clutch E to be driven by the'belt 31.

The clutch and belt with the pulley and drive shaft 32 are of ordinary construction and the bottom 18.

are not illustrated in detail but just diagramdotted outline in Figure 7 releasing the clutch E and immediately stopping the operation ,of the envelope machine A. The free end of the lever 30 is supported on the bracket shelf 37 which is supported by the bracket arms 38 projecting outwardly from the side ofthe frame 39 of the envelope folding machine A. 9 I i In operation the envelope folding machine operates very rapidly and is all automatic in the operation of folding the envelope. The sheets '12 which have been died out to the formation of the envelope are placed in the pile B below the lifting members lland these members pass down through the clearingplate 13 and having glue on their under surface, it

ing pocket C. As the sheet is pushed down into this folding pocket, the side or end plates 16 and 17 operate inwardly to fold the flaps of the envelope in and seal the same together so as to form the envelope, all ofwhich operation is very rapid and the envolpe is carried on by other suitable mechanisin not illustrated in which it is helduntilit has dried sufliciently to hold the envelope -together.-

My electric stop operates'to prevent waste of the envelope sheets and to stop the auto.- matic envelope machine A before ithas spoiled a large number of sheets and particularly to assist the-operator in the operation of theautomatic envelope machine A. In fact, with my electric stop, one operator can run several automatic envelope folding machines such as A for the reason that the electric stop operated by the folding plate 16 will operate instantly to disengage the operating clutch E and stop the automatic envelope folding machine if for any reason the sheets 12 do not properly register in the folding compartment 0. r

The operation of my electric stop is very simple in that the pin 19 will contact with the plate 18 ifthepaper sheet 12 of the envelope is not between the folding plate 16 and Thus, the circuit will be closed as illustrated in the diagrammatic illustration of the circuit in Figure 5 and the solenoid 25 will be operated to release the catch 33 which will cause the spring 36 to operate the lever 30 releasing the clutch E I and stopping the envelope machine virtuaL' ly instantaneously. V a

IOU

menses It is very important in my machine to pro- I vide an electric stop in the proper position in the machine and for this reason I have found that my electric stop operable with the folding plate 16 is amost practical means of controlling the operation of the automatic envelope folding machine A. It will be noted that the folding plate 16 is, at a vital point of operation of the envelope folding machine A and it is at this place where the trouble if any usua ly occurs, either a sheet is torn or does'not register and then my automatic stop operates by the pin 19 which closes the circuit immediately, my automatic electric stop stopping the machine virtually instantaneously right at the vital moment when the sheet either does not register in the folding pocket or becomes torn so as to prevent the same from passing through the folding operation properly.

The plate 16 which carries the operating switch pin 19 is operated by the usual operating lever 43 ofthe envelope folding machine A only a portion of the lever 43 being illustrated. The plate 17 is operated by a similiar lever. The arm 23 slides slightly to compensate for the movement of the hinge plate 16 so that the operation of the plate 16 is not changed and the arm 23 acts as a rigid cable to carry the current back away from the operating parts of the folding mechanism which might otherwise interfere with the free operation of these parts.

The saving in labor and waste of material is so apparent in the use of my electric stop for the plunger type of envelope folding ma chines that I have found it practical for one operator to operate quite a number of these machines without danger of any material waste in the operation of the same. The op erator is quickly apparent of the stopping of any of the machines andby means of the switch 26, my electric stop maybe thrown out of operation until it is again started on its way to properly folding and finishing the envelopes.

In accordance with the patent statutes I have described the principles of my electric stop for the plunger type of automatic envelope folding machines and while I have illustrated a particular formation and design, I desire to have it understood that the same is only suggestive of a means of carrying out my invention and I desire to protect the same within the scope of the following claims.

I claim:

1. An electric stop for plunger automatic envelope folding machines including a folding plate, a circuit closing spring pin carried by the folding plate which is adapted to close a circuit through a ground when a sheet fails to come to rest in the proper position in the folding compartment, a solenoid operable by said circuit closing pin to release a clutch operating lever to stop said envelope folding machine.

7 stop 7 the same.

Anflelectric stop for envelope folding machines including, a circuit closing pin piv-' otally supported ina manner to beope'rated by the flap. folding portion of the envelope folding machine,'a solenoid in c-ircuit with said circuit closing pin,acatch adapted to be stop the automatic envelope folding machine.

3. An-automaticelectric'stopforenvelope I folding machines, wincluding, a movable spring circuit closing pin, a folding plate adapted'to carry saidpin and 'electric circuit means operable by the grounding ofsaid pin to formacircuit to release the operating clutch of the envelopefolding machine and a. An electric stop plunger type auto-v .matic envelope foldingmachines including,

a" folding plate for folding the flaps ofthe envelopein' formingthe same, a; circuit closing pin carried by and insulated from said plate, circuit and solenoid means connected with said pin ina manner to-i operate to re lease the operating clutch of said "envelope folding machine when said circuit closing pin is groundedthrough the' absenceof an envelope between the plate and {the frame of the machine. r

5. An electric stop for automatic envelope folding machines including, a folding plate,

a bottomplate against which the envelopes are folded, a circuit closing pin carried by.

said'plate and insulated-therefrom, spring means for operating a clutch lever out of operating position, a catch for holding said clutch lever and circuit and solenoid'means associatedvwith said circuit closingpin to operate the same When'the pin is grounded againetsaid bottom plate by the absence of an envelope sheet between'the folding plate and the bottom plate.

6. An electric stop for automatic envelope folding machines including, a folding plate, a switch pin carried by said plate, circuit closing means carried by said folding plate andmeans associated with said pin carried by said-plate to release said operating lever and thereby release the clutch which operates the automatic envelope folding machine.

7. An electric stop for envelope folding machines of the plunger type including, ,a folding pocket, a folding plate pivotally secured to the sides of said pocket and means for operating said plate to carry the same down to the bottom of said pocket and circuit closing means to operate the clutch of said envelope machine carried by'said folding plate in said pocket operable in the absence of an envelope in said pocket by grounding the circuit. v f

8. An electric stop for automatic envelope folding machines including, a switch pin, a

flap folding plate adapted to support said pin insulated therefrom, a slidable cable arm for carrying current from said pin, a circuit leading: from said cable arm to a switch and to an operative solenoid and catch means operable by said solenoid to release the clutch of said'envelope folding machine.

9. An electric stop for automatic envelope.

folding machines including, hinged plate @means for folding the flaps of the envelope,

velectric switch means carried by said folding plate, solenoid means and electric circuit means associated with said switch in a manncrto stop said automatic envelope folding machine in the absence of an envelope sheet beneath said plate carrying said switch.

10. An electric stop for automatic envelope folding machines including, an intermittently operable switch means carried by one of the, folding parts of the envelope machine,

an electric circuit connected with said switch, a clutch for stopping said envelope machine and means in said circuit for operating said clutch torelease the same and automatically stop said envelope folding machine when said switch is operated by the absence of an envelope sheet beneath said folding part which carries said switch. r

11. An electric stop for automatic envelope folding machines including, anintermittently operable circuit closing switch adapted to be operated bygrounding by contacting with a'portion-of said machine, an electric circuit closed by saidswitch when thev same is grounded, means in said circuit for operating the clutch to stop said envelopefolding machine when said circuitis closed by said switch, said switch being carried by a portion of said envelope folding machine which =3 is adapted to complete the folding operation of the envelopes and the switch being inoperative through the insulating properties of the envelope sheet.

GEORGE J'. KATZ. 

